Ventilated shoetree



April 1940. P. s. JONES VENTILATED SHOETREE Filed Sept. 22, 1939 I Patented Apr. 9, 1940 ,glJNlTED sures PATENT OFFICE, I 4 'Y I v 1 I ,Sli 2,196,924 H I I I.

I I I VENTILA'I ED snowmen 7 Paul Jones, Brockton," Mass, assignor to Jones & Vini ng, Inc., Brockton, Mass, a cor poration of Massachusetts I I Application September 22, 1939, Serial No. 296,125 2 Claims. I (Cl. 12-1283) My present invention is a novel and improved ventilated shoetree and is directed to improve and perfect this type ofshoetree illustrated in my prior,Patent No. 2,169,151, dated August 8, 1939. i

In the manufacture of shoetrees, particularly I ventilated shoetrees of ,thetype of my said patent, it has been heretofore customary to form openings, slots, or the like thru the wood of the forepa'rt but only from the rear face of the fore part or from the'bottom surface, or from both.

While these prior methods,'and particularly such ventilatedshoetree structures as that of my said patent, as well also as that of my prior Patent 2,155,015, dated April' IB, 1939, constitute important improvements in the art of ventilated shoetrees, they have all been limited to the ven- 1 tilating features fromthe bottom or rear face.

'Wi'th my present invention I have devised a ventilated shoetree structure which provides a ventilating feature from the extreme toe' portion rearwardly, which is a distinct novelty, as far as I am advised, in this particular 'art.-

I further provide anautomatic self-adjusting and resilient feature" in my present ventilated shoe structure, which automatic adjustment extends tothe extreme toe portion, and which also is a distinct novelty in this art, I Referring to the drawing illustrating apreferred embodiment of the present invention,

- Fig, 1 is a plan view of my improved toe-ventilated automatic self-adjusting shoetree; Fig. 2 is a side view;

' Fig; 3,is a view of the rear face of the shoetree.

As shown in the drawing, a wooden forepart VI of any suitable design, style, or size of the shoetree'ismade, which forepart is provided with a series of longitudinal slots, certain of which slots extendinwardly from the toe part2 and other slots extend inwardly from the ,rear face-3, while still additional slots may be, and preferably are, provided with'openings from the bottom 4. I may and preferably will combine some. of I the lengthwise slots both fromrear and toe portions, together with certainof the slots opening-from the bottom, as will be furtherexplained. I

Also, I'prefer to form the saw-cuts'or slots from the rear face 3 forwardly, and from the toe portion 2 rearwardly in spaced or staggered relation to each other and overlapping somewhat,

thus providing a yielding and self-adjusting feature for the extent permitted by the width of the I slots in'the forepart. I a

I 8 respectively.

clear thru from the bottom 4 to the top of the,

last, as shown in Fig. 3. These slots extend a substantial distance forwardly, as indicated in 5 Fig;v l. Thereupon additional saw-cuts or slots l and 8 are formed in the forepart from the toe rearwardly in staggered relation to the slots 4 and 5 and overlapping the same, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I 10 Thus! a considerable yield or self-adjusting featureis afforded because of the overlapping and staggered saw-cut structure, as just described, all; of the slots 4, 5, I and 8 extending i entirely thru the wood of the shoetree from the bottom to the top and, hence, affording extent of l widthwise adjustment illustrated by the dotted lines Id -i6 and I2-I2, which indicate approxi- ,mately the extent to which either the toe portion or the rear portion vof the shoetree may be squeezed to afford the self-fitting feature when it is forced into the shoe. I In addition to the overlapping slots from the toe inwardly and from the rear forwardly, I prefer also to form additional ventilating slots I4 and [5' opening from the bottom 4 and extending lengthwise into registry with-thetoe slots 1 and This allows a ventilating circulation of air from the extreme toe portion permitted by slots l and 8 to emerge at the rear face 3 of the forepart and thus afford a ventilating feature I throughout the entire shoetree from the extreme toe portion to the rear face.

I Any desired type of toggle mechanism may be I connected with the ventilated forepart structure and, as herein shown, I have fitted a threaded member 20 to be threaded into the shoetree l and affording a lengthening and shortening adjustingfeature by the tightening in or loosening up 40 I of this threaded part, as may be readily appreciheel-engaging part 25 mounted on the other toggle member ,24 pivoted at 26 to the arms 22 and 23, and with a finger-operating and locking I handle 30, formed at the opposite end of the toggle member 24 and, preferably, round and therefore of greater width than the opening be- -tween the, toggle members 22 and 23, thus giving a convenient finger-hold, and also means to bear against the double toggle 22 and 2a and hold the f I believe that my invention of a shoetreewith ventilated toe portion, permitting air circulation from the extreme toe part rearwardly, and also the self-adjusting feature provided throughout, as

vwell also as the staggering of the toe slots,to

gether with rear opening slots and bottom opening slots, giving a self-adjusting capacity both for the toe part and rear part of a ventilated shoetree structure are distinct novelties in this art, and I wish to claim the same herein broadly.

I claim:

1. A ventilated shoetreeof the kind described and rear portion widthwise.

having a plurality of ventilating slots opening from the toe portion rearwardly, and from thefl rear portion forwardly, said slots being staggered lengthwise of theforepart and overlapping; I s Q 2. A ventilated shoetree of the kind described l having 'a plurality .of ventilating slots opening fr0m the toe portion-rearwardly, andfrom the rear portion forwardly; said slots being staggered len thwise, of the forepart and" overlapp 10 3 thereby afiording an automatic v'vidthvvise ad: .iust'ment of the shoetree, both at the toe portion PAUL s. JONES. 

